In this week’s newsletter, you’ll learn about a handful of topics circulating within the virtual halls of Argent Alpha:

• Hero on a Mission

• Boozy Brenda

• Kevin’s Rule

• Review Game Film

If you are a Man over 50 (and even if you aren’t), chances are one or more of these topics will resonate with you. I hope you enjoy these “bite sized” morsels and get something out of them.

Hero on a Mission

We read a lot of books in Argent Alpha, most of them focused on longevity, personal development and taking on challenges.

The book I’m currently recommending is powerful.

Donald Miller, renowned for his impactful work "Building a StoryBrand," which revolutionized the way we approach branding and storytelling in business, delves deeper into personal development with his subsequent offering, "Hero on a Mission." This book serves not just as a guide but as a beacon for those seeking purpose and direction in their lives, much like the journey undertaken by the members of Argent Alpha.

At the heart of "Hero on a Mission'' is the compelling proposition that each of us is the architect of our own life story, a narrative we craft daily, often unconsciously. Miller draws upon the timeless structure of the Hero's Journey to frame our experiences, suggesting that within our everyday lives we embody various archetypal roles:

• The Victim, who feels powerless and at the mercy of external forces.

• The Villain, who obstructs or undermines their own or others' success through negative actions or attitudes.

• The Hero, who embarks on a quest, faces challenges, and seeks to achieve a worthwhile goal.

• The Guide, who, having navigated their own journey, now offers wisdom and support to others on their path.

Miller's insightful narrative encourages us to shift our perspective from seeing ourselves as Victims or Villains in our story to recognizing our potential as Heroes of our journey. This transformation is pivotal, for it empowers us to take control of our narrative, make purposeful decisions, and pursue our goals with determination.

However, becoming the Hero of our story does not mean going it alone. The role of the Guide is crucial. Every Hero needs a Guide, a mentor who has traversed their own challenges and emerged with knowledge and insights that can illuminate the path forward. These Guides provide not just advice but also inspiration, showing us what is possible when we embrace our Hero role.

Equally important is the realization that we, too, are called to be Guides for others. Through our actions, experiences, and the wisdom we share, we can help illuminate the way for those around us, contributing to a cycle of growth and empowerment that extends far beyond our individual stories.

"Hero on a Mission" is more than a book; it is a roadmap for living a life of meaning, purpose, and impact. By embracing the roles of Hero and Guide, we not only enrich our own lives but also make a positive difference in the lives of others. Donald Miller invites us to step into our stories with courage and intention, to write narratives filled with challenges overcome, goals achieved, and lessons shared. In doing so, we fulfill our potential not just as characters in our own stories but as authors of our destiny.

Boozy Brenda

Every month we do a challenge and January’s was a fun one.

We name many of our favorite movements and we gave the beloved burpee the name of Brenda. We set a daily burpee minimum of 16 (20 on the last day of January). If you performed the minimum number each day you would have posted 500 burpees in January.

That was half the challenge.

The other half was Dry January. No alcohol, not one drop, for 31 days.

We call this combo challenge Boozy Brenda.

Two Five men achieved the full challenge (well done Clint and Pat!) and we had over 25 men go booze free for an entire month.

We decided to make this an Evergreen challenge to encourage Men to try life without alcohol at any point during the year.

My personal experience was enjoyable. I followed Clayton Christensen’s advice: “It's easier to hold your principles 100 percent of the time than it is to hold them 98 percent of the time.” Make the decision once and move on.

It was no surprise that removing alcohol improved my health. I noticed a big improvement in my readiness score as measured by my Oura Ring:

Readiness is Oura's proprietary score from 0-100 which is designed to help you figure out what works for your body on your personal spectrum of wellbeing. Higher scores mean your body is ready to face and rebound from greater challenges while lower scores indicate your body needs recovery and support.

Give Boozy Brenda a shot and let me know how it goes. You’ll feel better and your performance in the gym will improve (not to mention an improved InBody scan).

Kevin’s Rule

In our planning guide, we talked about Jesse Itzler’s planning approach and one of his non-negotiables is Kevin’s Rule. From Jesse’s website:

“Ready for a year full of mini adventures?

If you take one day every other month and do something that you normally wouldn't do, you will add 6 new adventures this year that you otherwise wouldn't have had.

You might take a family ski trip, join a cooking class, run a race, or go on an amazing hike or local tour. Kevin's Rule is all about creating time for new experiences. Because the more you experience in life, the more you have to offer!”

My first mini adventure of 2024: my wife Jackie and I are going to see Band of Horses perform at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN this month! 

We’ve mapped out the entire year and continue to refine and edit.

I love the planning and researching for a mini adventure and the anticipation that comes along with it.

A number of our members have taken 2024 planning seriously and are architecting a memorable year. A small group of our members created a mini-mastermind group and are using each other to refine their plan and hold each other accountable. The power of your posse in action!

Review Game Film

Each month we pause and review our actions, results and habits to make sure we are on track with our goals and living in alignment with the Future Self we have created.

Two parts of this process are quantitative testing:

• Body composition testing - we use the InBody scan to track the changes in our body fat % and skeletal muscle mass (in addition to other important measurements).

• Fitness Standards - we test 6 movements which are aligned with longevity. 

The third part of the process is a qualitative month end review, what we refer to as Review Game Film. Below is the form we use.

Reflecting on the last 30 days gives you an opportunity to review and enjoy your wins, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate the progress you’ve made. It also primes your mindset to set intentions for the upcoming month and craft your plan.

Closing

This week's Argent Alpha newsletter dives into a mix of topics: from Donald Miller's insights on becoming the protagonist of your own life, to challenging ourselves with a sober month paired with physical challenge, exploring new adventures with Kevin’s Rule, and reflecting on our actions and results to ensure alignment with our goals.

Each piece offers practical advice and actionable steps to not just improve ourselves, but to also make a positive impact on those around us.

Your challenge?

Pick one idea from this newsletter that strikes a chord with you and implement it into your life. It could be embracing the Hero's Journey, taking on the Boozy Brenda challenge, planning a mini adventure, or conducting your own game film review.

Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know how it goes!

If you are a Man over 50 and are ready to change the trend-line of your life Apply now.

The next Argent Alpha Live! event will be held in Phoenix, AZ on March 23 & 24, 2024. This event is only available to Argent Alpha members and will challenge, teach, motivate, stretch and inspire all of the Men over 50 who attend. Attendance is capped at 30 members.